2.5 billion smartphone users globally by 2015: report

Nearly 2.5 billion people or 35 % of the global population is expected to use smartphones by the end of 2015, says the latest report of US-based industry tracker Strategy Analytics.

The reason behind this surge is the expansion of low-end smartphones by global players that has helped them make inroads into emerging markets in the developing countries like India.

"The Asia-Pacific region holds the most number of smartphone users while Europe and North America have the highest portion of people holding the high-tech handsets among all mobile phone users," the report said.

That means more than three in every 10 people will be smartphone users.

According to the market research firm, the number of global users had surpassed one billion in 2012.

According to a separate report by Sweden-based Ericsson, smartphone users reached 1.9 billion at the end of 2013 and is set to expand to 3.3 billion by the end of 2015.